2006-06-06 06:48:58 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Reptiles
The only perfect way to know is to watch it hatch and document it's life. This is rarely done, so for most turtles and tortoises, we can only guess.
There are growth charts that can help you estimate the age based on size, but that is very dependent on diet, care, individual variation, and so forth.
Ring counts are notoriously inaccurate, but may be good enough for your own curiosity. Count the rings on several belly scales. Ignore any counts that are a lot different than most of the scales, and the number you find most often will be close.
The scales (scutes is the technical name) grow as the turtle grows. The turtle grows more slowly during the winter whether they hibernate or not, and usually slow down in the heat of summer as well. Sometimes you can even see the major and minor rings caused by that.
As a rule of thumb, there are a few reasons you want to know the age- basic documentation needs, like at a zoo; to have an idea when they will be ready to breed (which is generally better determined by size and behavior); and sheer human curiosity.
If it is mostly just curiosity, assume it was born in late summer- August-September, which is common in their home range. Labor Day or some other arbitrary day will work for a 'birthday' if you want!. Use a combination of ring counts and size like Wu Gwei said, and call it September 2004.
2006-06-07 05:07:35 · answer #1 · answered by Madkins007 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Testudo graeca is a tortoise from the Mediterranean.
I assume you are measuring SCL (Straight carapace length), without the curve.
I estimate it to be around 2 years old and a 2004 hatchling. Captive torts grow faster than wild ones. They're about 1.5" when they are hatched.
2006-06-06 14:14:03 · answer #2 · answered by wu_gwei21 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Graeca's are a certain type of vines. It is probably 1 month old.
2006-06-06 14:42:19 · answer #3 · answered by Mache 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It must be 3 since they grow 1 inch per year.
When it is 10 foot long it will be 120 years old.
2006-06-06 13:58:32 · answer #4 · answered by Apple Crumble(Devils Advocate) 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My graecea is about 8 1/2 inches long, with alot of girth.
2006-06-06 13:50:35 · answer #5 · answered by yogabbagabba 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What's a graeca?
2006-06-06 13:51:14 · answer #6 · answered by Miss Brooke 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pull a scale and look under Microscope. Count the growth lines.
2006-06-06 13:52:16 · answer #7 · answered by NormalGuy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yep i'd say 3.2 year old. They can get very big and very old, ours is almost 35 human years old its huge!!!
2006-06-06 14:50:10 · answer #8 · answered by memory_of_flight 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
3.2 years old.
2006-06-06 13:50:36 · answer #9 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
is this suppose to be perverted
2006-06-06 13:52:42 · answer #10 · answered by kobe8518403 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋